The Doctrine of the Lord
(Right click title to listen)
BY GEORGE L. COLE.
THE doctrine of the Lord is his teaching, that which we are to believe. The delusive idea that it does not make any difference what a man believes, or what his doctrine is, he can be a Christian any way, is perverse teaching. When the New Testament Christians accepted the teachings of Christ there was a divine change wrought in their lives. This was not like accepting a theory or doctrine of men, which might change a man’s belief without affecting his nature. A man may have a sinful nature and he may accept any of the current doctrines of men, but his nature is still corrupt. With his sinful disposition he could be a paean and adopt all the foolish whims of pagan doctrine; he might give them up and become a Mohammedan, but this would not change his nature. He could again forsake the doctrine of Mohammed and join himself to the Catholic religion; but if dissatisfied with their doctrine he could become a Protestant and join any of their sects that he might desire, and be catechized to believe the peculiar tenets, of their creed, and his nature remain unchanged.
But if he become dissatisfied with the doctrines of men and desired to become a New Testament Christian, he must accept the teaching of Christ, but not in the manner in which the doctrines of men were accepted, because Jesus said: “My words, they are spirit and they are life.” His word and doctrine are identical, because the scripture is profitable for doctrine. See 2nd Timothy 3: 16. And when the Word is believed it “effectually worketh also in you that believe.” It brings life into the believing one, therefore there must be salvation in the doctrine, because Paul says, “Take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.”— 1st Timothy 4: 16. “Continue in them” signifies that the acceptance of the doctrine of Christ puts us into the doctrine, and the doctrine into us. Again it is said: “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” It is called the apostles’ doctrine because they set it forth; it is called the doctrine of Christ because he received it from the Father, and gave it to his apostles. “Jesus answered and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”— John 7: 16, 17. Christ’s teaching can be tested by doing the will of God. The doctrine sets forth an experience and this experience is realized when the will of God is performed. The doctrines of men cannot be tested because they do not profess to impart an experience. But Christ proposes to give us an experience, and with this experience a knowledge of the same.
ABIDING IN THE DOCTRINE.
The Apostle John has told us, “Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”— 2nd John 9. When a person has received the doctrine of Christ he must continue therein in order to remain in God’s favor. If he relinquishes his hold of the doctrine of Christ, he is not abiding therein, and such we are told hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son; hence must be in fellowship with them. No one can have Christ exclusive of the Father, therefore, we see when the doctrine of Christ is rejected, Christ himself is rejected and the Father also is rejected. No one can reject the Father and the Son and have the Holy Spirit; thus the fellowship of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is cut off, hence fellowship with those who continue in the doctrine is likewise cut off. It is easy to become a heretic just by adopting some doctrine opposed to the doctrine of Christ. A person cannot hold to a doctrine opposing the doctrine of Christ and at the same time continue in the doctrine of Christ; therefore, in the adopting of a false doctrine a person transgresses the doctrine of Christ, ceases to abide in it, and the apostle declares, “Such is subverted and sinneth.” Titus 3: 11. The Lord’s displeasure falls more severely upon a heretic than upon one who trespasses against his brother. The former only has two opportunities of recovery while the latter has three. Compare Titus 3: 9 to 11 with Matthew 18: 15 to 17. The Lord was displeased with the church at Smyrna and declared unto them, “I have a few things against thee, because thou last there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam . . . also them that hold the doctrine of Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate,” and his remedy was, “Repent or else I will come unto thee quickly.” He was not here chiding the heretics, but he was chiding the children of God for allowing heretics to remain among them and teach them false doctrine, which was causing the children of God to turn from the truth. We have seen how a person forfeits salvation by adopting false doctrine, and how the displeasure of God rests upon those who suffer heresy to be taught among them. Again, when the judgments of God are executed against false teachers and others sympathize with theirs and speak against the children of God, who have dealt out God’s judgments, the displeasure of the Lord will rest upon them, because they are bidding them God speed. “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”- 2nd John 11. We have an example recorded in the 16th chapter of Numbers, where Korah and his men, two hundred and fifty, rose up against Moses, and the Lord destroyed them. “But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.” And this thing displeased the Lord, and the plague broke out and fourteen thousand seven hundred died, besides them that died about the matter of Korah. Only two hundred and fifty of the elders were destroyed with Korah, while their sympathizers were slain by the thousand, and the Apostle Paul tells us that these things “were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world have come.” So we see it is a dangerous thing to rise up in defense of heretics who have been dealt with according to the Word of God.
CO – OPERATION.
We can but glean from the foregoing facts that God demands co-operation of all his people when dealing with one who trespasses or one who imbibes false doctrine. The bad leaven of heresy was creeping into the Galatian church and the apostle thundered forth the judgments of the Lord against their heresy, saying: “I would they were even cut off which trouble you.”— Galatians 5: 12. But his instruction was this: “I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded; but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.”— Verse 10. Here the apostle seeks and hopes in the co-operation of the church in renouncing the heretics, and it is not reasonable that the teachers should renounce heretics and the church hold up for them. Such is displeasing unto the Lord; shall I say more so in the gospel day than in the days of Moses? “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the spirit of grace?” — Hebrews 10: 28, 29.
It seems severe and painful to renounce those whom we have esteemed as dear brethren in the ministry, simply because of false doctrine, but when it is clearly proved that they are setting forth doctrine contrary to the Word of God, contrary to their past profession, they make themselves heretics and their judgments can be no lighter than that which is set forth in the Word of God; but if we, as a people, will stand true to the Word of God, God will stand by us and where one falls many more will be raised up to fill his place; better, nobler, and more faithful men. Then let us not grieve over the loss, while we remember it is written: “Some of those of understanding shall fall, to prove them, and to try them unto the time of the end.” “Purge out therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump.” We know that some are ready to cry bigotry, popery, but this is only a false plea to cloak over a corrupt heart, for the Apostle Paul teaches the reverse in 2nd Corinthians 12: 21. “And lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented,” etc. It is only a mark of true humility for God’s ministers to deal faithfully with those who go astray and privily bring in damnable heresies.
I have felt moved of the Lord to sound this note of warning to all the church, that they might heartily co-operate in the renunciation of heresy and heretics, because letters have come to us stating that dear Brother____; had been to their place when I was quite sure that they might be aware that the man mentioned had been renounced in the columns of the Trumpet. I would say for the benefit of the readers of the Trumpet that the editor does not stand alone in renouncing heretics, but he has the hearty co-operation of the ministers and loyal saints who inform him of the facts in the case, which I can truthfully say, up to all my knowledge, has never been hasty, although it would not be unscriptural for one minister to deal with and renounce one who has departed from the doctrine of Christ; and for one I heartily co-operate in standing by the faithful brethren who are ready to be humbled before God and in the sight of the people to bewail them which have sinned already.
Filed under: Articles of Interest
Leave a Reply